


Hugh Has A Secret

by whopooh



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Flashfic challenge, Gen, Jack is a detective, awkward Hugh Collins, humour and fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 15:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18449477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whopooh/pseuds/whopooh
Summary: Hugh has a secret. Jack can read his constable like an open book.For the flashfic challenge.





	Hugh Has A Secret

There was something about Constable Collins today. Jack Robinson prided himself on being susceptible to his men’s mood, and he knew young Collins quite well by now. Although he was usually a bit skittish – Jack had never seen a man so prone to dropping writing utensils when being surprised – this was rather over the top. 

Collins practically oozed nervousness, pretending to calmly go about his own business. Jack internally wondered how the man would ever be able to do undercover stints. Perhaps he should add that into the training as soon as possible. 

Collins’ eyes flicked to the entrance every thirty seconds and his speed in flipping through the documents on his desk was… remarkable. 

It was all the more concerning as they had no pressing cases at the moment.

“Tea, Constable?” Jack asked smoothly, having come out by the front desk without making a sound.

Collins literally squeaked and forcefully dropped the pencil from his hands. He managed to send it into a bow, striking the image of the King hanging on the wall before reluctantly landing on a cabinet. 

“Good aim,” Jack said. 

Collins blushed beet red.

Jack tilted his head and gestured to the tea kettle. Collins collected himself enough to pour two cups. His hand shook a little when he handed one to his superior.

They took a sip in silence. 

“Alright, Collins, out with it,” Jack said, finally. “What is the matter today? You’re acting like you’re expecting the end of the world.”

“What? Of course not, Sir,” Collins said, his fingers skimming the rim of his cup as his voice turned up one octave. “I’m not expecting anything. Definitely not anything surprising happening this afternoon.”

Jack’s answer was a lifting of a brow. He knew Collins couldn’t resist a good eyebrow directed at him. It was one of his techniques as a commanding officer, to make sure his men would recognise and obey subtle commands. The times that had saved them in pressing situations were too many to count.

There was no way Collins would be able to resist.

Or that’s what Jack thought. 

Collins gulped air like a goldfish. “No, nothing, Sir. It’s just a normal Thursday afternoon.”

“I see,” Jack said.

This wasn’t like Collins. He wasn’t one for insubordination and he was usually very happy to tell the Inspector his thoughts, whether they were about a case or about the workings of Australian football.

Unless…

“You don’t usually lie to your superior, Collins,” Jack said.

Collins, poor man, stopped his goldfish impression and looked Jack in the eyes. There was a striking resemblance to a deer caught in a flashlight.

“Shall I take it you have another superior you are even more frightened of disappointing?”

By now, Collins’ face had turned pale instead. His unconscious glance at the entrance was anything but confirmation of Jack’s theory.

“N-no?” Collins stuttered. 

“Whenever you’re ready, Miss Fisher,” Jack said, his voice pitched louder. At the exact same second a first footstep – clicking from high heels – could be heard. 

Phryne entered the station, strikingly dressed in red, down to the elegant driving gloves she held in one hand. Catching the two policemen staring in her direction – one with a small quirk of his eyebrow, the other with eyes wide as saucers – she quickly assessed the situation. 

“Hugh, you were supposed to keep him unaware,” she said.

“I tried!” Hugh said, dropping his tea cup onto the saucer with a crash.

“Never mind,” Miss Fisher said kindly, smoothing away her earlier reprimand. Then she turned to Jack. “I’m here to take you on an outing, Inspector. I have my car, a picknick basket filled by Mr Butler, and the best company you could ask for.” Her mischievous smile told him that yes, she was talking exclusively about herself. “I will not take no for an answer. Go get your coat.” 

He just looked at her, stunned, for a few seconds. Then he internally gave in to the fact that just like Constable Collins, he wasn’t really able to say no to this woman. 

“Your shift ends in an hour anyway, Jack. Collins can manage the station.”

Jack nodded and found himself going back to his office to fetch hat and coat. It was a beautiful spring afternoon outside, and she was right, he could hardly ask for better company. His heart started to beat slightly faster as he took in what troubles she had gone into, just for him.

As they exited the station, Miss Fisher waved at Constable Collins, who looked relieved beyond words.

“People are supposed to celebrate their birthdays, you know, Jack,” she said as she put her hand around his bicep, as she so often did. He managed to not shiver from her touch.

“So I get two birthday presents, Miss Fisher?” he said, smiling down at her.

“Two presents? What’s the other?”

“An outing with my favourite lady detective –“ he said, her smile brightening at the compliment “– and a reminder that I have to train my constable in keeping secrets.”

She smiled and dropped his arm as they came up to her Hispano-Suiza. 

“Well, happy birthday, Jack. I’m sure both will come in very handy.”

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to go all in with the "ways you can describe Hugh Collins being awkward". :)


End file.
